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hello,i had an unprotected vaginal exposure with a lady on the 27th of september of this year,i am waiting to get tested when my 12 weeks time frame gets complete.i know symptoms cannot be diagnosed but just to have my mind at peace before the test i have a few questions if you would be kind enough to answer.these are only doubts in my mind and i will only post later after my test results are in.-what are the odds of acquring hiv if the girl is positive if i only had vaginal sex once with her in my life time?1)-Exactly 4 weeks and 5 days later i developed a rash on my neck,shoulders and chest,no sore throat,no flu like symptoms,slight headache for one day,no body pain,no increase in lymph nodes size except a slightly raised lymph node in right armpit and a lymph node that was painful and increased in lower back above hip,it still is,my temperature was 99.6 farenheit when i saw the rash,at night it was 100.3 farenheit,next morning it went away(below 100 farenheit) and in 4,5 days the rash went away too.may i add that i drank alot of vodka the night before the rash so the alcohol may have caused the rash...does this look or sound like ars to you?2)can ars happen after the 4 week mark or 6 week mark after exposure?3)i have lost about 4 kgs since the exposure,does weight loss occur so early after exposure,its been about 2 months and few days after exposure, if you are Godforbid hiv positive then in this period is this much weight loss a sign of hiv infection,maybe i am not eating that much as i used to before or i have cut down on my sugar intake,maybe.4)the testing after exposure guideline says 12 weeks,is that 3 months or if you convert in days then can u tell how many days after exposure should you test...12 into 7 is 84 so should i test on the 84 days mark?5) finally i have had flu/cold twice since my exposure,the thought that comes in my mind is that my immune system has weakened due to Godforbid the hiv infection and that is why i am getting sick....my question is that in 2,3 months after exposure or getting infected does the immune system weakens so much that you get sick twice in such a less period....lastly within one week after exposure i developed a sore throat and slight fever,is that too soon for ars....thankyou....please do look at each question and reply....it would put my mind at some ease before the testing period gets finished,thankyou...

None of your symptoms are indictative of ARS. You did put yourself at risk for not only HIV but other STDs. You can test 3 months post exposure for your conclusive test result. The US is the only place that uses 13 weeks all others use 12 weeks.

Hiv is a fragile, difficult to transmit virus that is more difficult to transmit from a woman to a man. However, more difficult does not mean impossible. The chance of you becoming infected from one instance of unprotected vaginal intercourse is very low, but not zero.

1. We do not discuss symptoms here as symptoms are meaningless when it comes to diagnosing hiv infection. Many people do not experience a single symptoms and for us to concentrate on symptoms might lead someone with no symptoms, but a real risk, to not bother testing.

2. ARS symptoms, if they happen at all, usually happen between two and three weeks after infection has taken place. Six weeks would be rare.

3. Some people lose weight, some do not. Again, symptoms or even the lack of symptoms are meaningless when it comes to hiv.

4. Any time at or after 84 days is conclusive.

5. Once again, symptoms or even the lack of symptoms are meaningless when it comes to hiv. ONLY testing will accurately inform you of your hiv status. If you feel unwell, see a doctor. In your case, chances are very good it has nothing to do with hiv.

The only way to know your hiv status is to test at the appropriate time. The vast majority of people who have actually been infected will seroconvert and test positive by six weeks, with the average time to seroconversion being only 22 days. A six week (or more) negative must be confirmed at the three month point.

Good luck with your test. You have an excellent chance of testing negative. Let's hope you do and this is nothing more than a learning experience.

You need to be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship where you have both tested for ALL sexually transmitted infections together.

To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with an STI. Sex without a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.

Have a look through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.

Anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care check-up, including but not limited to hiv testing, at least once a year and more often if unprotected intercourse occurs.

If you aren't already having regular, routine check-ups, now is the time to start. As long as you make sure condoms are being used for intercourse, you can fully expect your routine hiv tests to return with negative results.

Don't forget to always get checked for all the other sexually transmitted infections as well, because they are MUCH easier to transmit than hiv.

Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

thanks alot for the informative and detailed reply...my confidence has increased manifold,now i can test with more confidence,my only concern is the weightloss though,4 kgs is alot in 2 months time...thankyou again:)

Instead of trying to pin down such a quantifiable number, what you really need to know is that neither the presence nor the absence of symptoms will ever tell you anything reliably accurate about your HIV status. If there has been a genuine risk only an HIV test at 13 weeks afterwards can give you a conclusive, negative result.

The symptoms sometimes associated with ARS are too similar to too many other illnesses.

Like Ann I do expect you to come out of this one-time incident ok. You have a little more waiting time for what I expect is going to be a negative result.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Alright one last question before i forcibly put myself to sleep...as i mentioned my exposure was 28th september,today is 10th december,in this period i have lost about 5 kgs of weight,maybe im eating less carbs and sugars than i used to before.....in the period i mentioned if i had Godforbid acquired the virus on the 28th of september then is it normal to lose around 5,6 kgs in this period....im sorry,this question is popping in my head again and again and no matter how much i try and calm myself down i am unable to...i have a test date for the 30th of december....

You have a couple of more weeks to wait until you get tested. Get busy with other things in your life. It will make the time pass way more easily than you imagine. And don't bother saying you're too worried to do that because I can tell you that response isn't going to fly here. Just do it.

sorry my english is not the best,can you explain what you said about weight loss in simple words please...

Arsenal,

We're saying that your weight loss could be caused by many things. The symptoms you mention are not like those some people get with ARS. Symptoms are really not a good indicator of anything when it comes to HIV.

I agree with Ann and Andy. Get your HIV test at the right time. Until then you're just going to have to get on with your life.

are u talking about all my symptoms or the weight loss...i understand that this can be caused by many other things but what i am trying to ask that this much weight loss in this period of time ,is this common with initial infection 2 months back Godforbid...thanks,regards

are u talking about all my symptoms or the weight loss...i understand that this can be caused by many other things but what i am trying to ask that this much weight loss in this period of time ,is this common with initial infection 2 months back Godforbid...thanks,regards

All your symptoms, including the weight loss. The only way you will know your HIV status is to get tested at 12 weeks. Stressing out over symptoms is a waste of time.